Protected areas

Nature conservation is an important policy field in our densely populated country. Without special status areas are hard to protect. Various laws and rules protect valuable areas (area protection).

Furthermore, there are schemes for the protection of plants and animals and to prevent the extinction of species (species protection). The rules for the protection of species can also indicate areas so as to protect specific animal and plant species. This is why the Netherlands has various types of protected area, which have different legal statuses.

Types of protected area

• National Parks; 
• Wetlands, water-rich areas indicated on the basis of the Wetlands convention; 
• Natura 2000 areas indicated on the basis of the European Habitat and the Bird directives; 
• Areas that are part of the European Ecological Main Framework; 
• Protected natural monuments on the basis of the Nature Protection Act;
• National Landscapes.

Areas can (wholly or partially) be subject to various schemes. For example, all national parks are part of the European Ecological Main Framework.

Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation

The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation is responsible for the policy field of ‘nature conservation’. The ministry ensures that nature is protected by legislation, that nature is properly maintained and that new nature is created.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation's website provides further information on area protection and the types of natural site protected in the Netherlands.